The Charlotte Hornets have had a fruitful offseason, although they still have roster moves to make because they are still above the limit of 15 players with standard contracts. So, between now and the start of the regular season, they have to make the painful decision to cut at least three more players.
As it stands, Charlotte has 16 players under contract for the 2025-26 campaign. Additionally, it must decide whether to guarantee the deals of Moussa Diabate and DaQuan Jeffries. Diabate is a near certainty to remain with the team; it would be a crime to let him go after an impressive showing last season. Jeffries is surely a goner, especially since the Hornets already have a glut of guards and small forwards.
The organization has also used up all three of its two-way slots on KJ Simpson, Drew Peterson, and Antonio Reeves. For some reason, it opted not to bring in a big man to address its depth concerns at the four and five positions.
So, chances are, the casualties of the next wave of waivings or trades are likely going to be wing players.
With Jeffries presumably on the way out, Charlotte has to determine the other two players who will receive the unfortunate phone call or sit-down.
Likely Hornets players exiting this summer are pretty obvious
Nick Smith Jr. appears to be one of them. Despite his potential to be a microwave scorer off the bench and the Hornets using a first-round pick to land him in 2023, he has so far failed to prove deserving of a roster spot in Charlotte. And because Smith Jr. is unlikely to overtake any of the guys in front of him in the depth chart anytime, he might not be a part of the squad's plans beyond training camp.
While getting rid of Smith Jr. via trade or a possible buyout is a relatively more straightforward decision, making out the other finalist might prove to be more difficult.
Josh Green might be the logical choice, as he didn't progress into the premier 3-and-D piece the Hornets had hoped he would be. But with Josh Okogie gone, being a victim himself of the loaded roster, and Sion James probably still underdeveloped, letting go of Green could be too scary a risk.
So, counting out Charlotte's core pieces, rookies, players who can play power forward or center, and recent free agency signings, Pat Connaughton appears to be the other alternative. It's a shame because the former Milwaukee Bucks veteran could serve as a high-energy 3-and-D guy for Charles Lee. However, the lack of roster space could require the Hornets to give him up weeks after acquiring him from the Bucks, along with two future second-round selections for Vasilije Micic.
It remains to be seen what route Charlotte takes, but it is all but assured that the franchise has an unsettling decision to make before the offseason ends.